


A Clash of Cultures

by Fair_Feather_Friend



Category: Original Work, The Key to Oslov
Genre: F/M, M/M, Original Slash, Reading
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 09:16:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18465976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fair_Feather_Friend/pseuds/Fair_Feather_Friend
Summary: My first ever post on AO3.Fanfiction of ColdColdHeart's fantastic Key to Oslov series. Go read it! https://archiveofourown.org/series/1193242While on a diplomatic mission, Gersha  is given a very important book to read. In the one bed that he shares with his secretary.Meanwhile, Duke Dalziel asks to be read some of Gersha's people's literature. In the one bed that he shares with his secretary.





	A Clash of Cultures

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ColdColdHeart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdColdHeart/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Trip to Harbour](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18272933) by [ColdColdHeart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdColdHeart/pseuds/ColdColdHeart). 



"It's written in code." That was the only conclusion Gersha could come to. He'd stared at the pages and none of them made the slightest bit of sense. Certainly he recognised many of the words, but the way they were strung together was nonsensical. Yet Silas had insisted that it was of extreme importance that he read these texts.

Tilrey, who was keeping an appropriate distance between himself and Gersha in the one bed they had to share. "Why don't you read some of it to me, Fir? Perhaps I can help you decode it."

With nothing left to lose Gersha did just that. Perhaps the words would make more sense when spoken aloud. "His branch of longing grew firm at the sight of her. Her incandescent orbs beckoning him closer, even as her coral labium quivered with fear. Unable to contain his concupiscence, he took but a moment to worship her pearl of pleasure, before venturing through her delicate petals with his velvet vernacular. Yet her flower of womanhood was not yet to be his. Instead it was her fluttering rosebud that called to him, winking its welcome of his presence in a siren song that was impossible to resist. Piercing her seat of delight with his root of desire...

"It would appear to be about gardening, but the words coral, pearl and siren-song suggest that this garden is aquatic in nature. I do not understand why they stressed the importance of reading this text, unless there is a secret message within."

Tilrey, whose knowledge of literature was far more extensive than Gersha, took a few moments to remember reading such similar materials. It certainly did sound different when spoken out loud. Even far more ridiculous than on the page. He did his best to stifle a laugh but could not contain his smile as he tried to delicately explain. "The text is full of euphemisms. Where they say one thing, and mean something entirely different, often for poetic effect. This would appear to be a particularly florid example."

"Yes, but what does it mean?"

Tilrey moved closer to Gersha, to look at the paragraph and remind himself of the specific terms. The bed started to seem far smaller than it had before. Gersha did his best to concentrate on the pages of the book itself, not the solid presence of the man beside him. 

"Using contextual clues, it would seem that 'his branch of longing' refers to his penis."

Gersha gave Tilrey a sceptical look as if expecting him to reveal it as a joke. "That is also their name for a part of a tree?" 

"Yes. Root of desire would also seem to refer to his penis. Much of the other terms seem to refer to her genitalia."

Gersha flushed, looking flustered. "It was a joke then, to give us this book to read."

"Perhaps Fir, or perhaps the Duke was trying to send you another sort of message."

~~~

"The penis serves both excretory and reproductive functions. During intercourse, the blood flow is temporarily increased and trapped in the penis so that it becomes enlarged and elevated, a condition known as erection." Silas recites from his comfortable spot curled up against the duke. "It goes on and on to a similar effect. Would you like me to continue?"

"Skip ahead a bit. Are there any good parts?" The Duke asked.

Trying to contain his amusement Silas skimmed forward. "Sexual intercourse, is the reproductive act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract. If the reproductive act is complete, sperm cells are passed from the male body into the female." 

"That is their idea of sexual literature?" The Duke asked, exasperated. "I do not believe I have ever read anything less erotic."

"There's diagrams."

The Duke took one look at the page and shuddered. "I stand corrected. That's horrifying. Perhaps we should have assigned them two beds after all. I really thought the term secretary was a euphemism."

**Author's Note:**

> The text that the Duke and Silas read is taken from: https://www.britannica.com/science/sexual-intercourse


End file.
